Speechless
No, I didn't stay up to watch the Oscars. I've attempted it a couple of times in the past, but I'm too old for that now. Most years I tape them, avoid the media during the following day, and watch them the following evening. This year, with way too much work to do today to watch them during daylight hours, I've had to let them go. It's almost impossible to avoid the results, Bob and Terry style - especially if you're on the internet, which I am. So I've had the least glitzy, least heart-stopping, least effusive, least live set of Oscars ever and just read the winners on the BBC News website as I ate my Polish sausage, boiled egg and smoked salmon breakfast [well, at least telling you that saves me being on Twitter]. My experience of the Oscars has been, literally, speechless.
I'm delighted for Slumdog Millionaire, of course, which won eight. It was their night. (It might not be a "feel-good film" but it's a feel-good story for a film that almost went straight to DVD in the States.) However, its success confirms the 81st Academy Awards to have been surely the most predictable in all the years I've been watching them. Danny Boyle, Kate Winslet, Heath Ledger, Penelope Cruz, best makeup for Benjamin Button etc. The only upset - and one that I think I could secretly see coming - was Sean Penn winning for the excellent Milk. He fully deserves an Oscar for that performance, but I was hoping Mickey Rourke would make the hat-trick. It was not to be.
Objectively - and selfishly - I don't like it when one film sweeps the board. I prefer surprises. There don't seem to have been many while I was sleeping soundly in my bed.
posted by Andrew Collins @ 8:37 AM
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12 Comments:
I had really hoped Frank Langella would win, but then I haven't seen The Wrestler.
Thrilled for Slumdog and Kate though.
And congratulations to The Love Guru for doing so, uh, well at the Razzies.
Andrew, were you disappointed that Mickey Rourke didn't win an Oscar to go with all his other awards last night? I loved Sean Penn's performance in Milk but I thought Rourke was just incredible in The Wrestler.. And his comeback has been so surprsing that it's a shame a fantastic achievement is being reported as a 'losing' one this morning.
Like yourself I kinda saw it coming though - for all his 'outsider' credentials, Sean Penn is really a part of the Hollywood establishment. Great actor and all that but the acceptable face of a maverick in 2009. I've just been watching Micky Rourke's acceptance speech at the Independent Spirit Awards. It could be the best award speech I've ever seen. And a pretty good indication of why the Academy overlooked him last night. As you found out at the Baftas, he really doesn't take the expected route on these occasions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og3tN7P6oKI
I used to watch the Oscars religiously, but to be honest they pass me by a little bit now. It's predictable, like you say, and just another expensive, showy, back slapping ceremony.
If plumbers all got together and gave each other prizes for being jolly good at plumbing, we'd all say it was ridiculous.
At the beginning of his Oscar round up Mark Kermode described your website as 'addictive'. You should put that quote across the top.
So with regards to the wrestler has it made you more inclined to take a look at professional wrestling?
It's funny but "they" are saying mickey rourke might have lost out because of his idea of wrestling at the forthcoming wrestlemania 25.
I hope this wasn't the case and it's a shame that wrestling is looked at in that way.
I was disappointed that Mickey Rourke didn't do the hat-trick, but I thought Sean Penn deserved recognition for Milk. I actually think The Wrestler is a slight film, and without Rourke, would be less interesting. I have no interest in wrestling, and The Wrestler has no more made me interested in wrestling than Apocalypse Now has made interested in joining the army.
And where did Mark say this nice thing, Punking?
Mark Kermode was saying nice things about this blog on Simon Mayo this afternoon just prior to his Oscar post-mortem. It was about 1:40pm if it is available on listen again.
Mark said it at the very beginning of the Daily Mayo Oscar special podcast. The podcast is listed as Kermode: Oscars review 23 Feb 09
Thanks, I've just listened to the podcast and indeed, Mark Kermode calls this blog "funky" and "addictive." What a gent.
For a minute there you all had me going!
As if the Oscars actually means anything beyond a few second rate films receiving trophies. Oh - and the pointless discussion of some fancy frocks.
It's a load of dunderheads acting all earnest over the wrong selection of films.
And stop this worship of Mark Kermode! Who cares what he says? His favourite film's The Exorcist, for Christ's sake. He hasn't got a clue!
Nevermind the Oscars - how about calling that Polish sausage by its proper name : It's a 'kielbasa' I'm guessing (pronounced 'keelbassa') and is probably stuffed full of factory farmed piggies' bits and looks like a turd.
Smacznego ! (Bon Appetit)
Roland From Poland
Roland, the Polish sausage I like is called kabanos (it comes from the Turkish word for pig). It is indeed full of pork and looks like a lovely sausage, which it is - I am prepared to be told that it is not Polish at all, but the packet says it's made in Poland! (By the way, you don't eat manufactured sausages if you're squeamish about where the meat comes from, as a rule. If I could get an organic version, I'd be at the front of the queue!) Are you really called Roland and are you really from Poland? If so, hats off.
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